Quintana Roo’s best-kept secret

When we think of the Riviera Maya, the first thing that comes to mind is its fine white sand, which caresses the feet of those who walk along its beaches. But not everything is as it seems. Have you ever wondered why the beaches in other states don’t look like those in Quintana Roo? Here’s why.

All this is possible thanks to a little friend: the parrotfish. Thanks to it, we can enjoy the radiant white of our beaches. However, in reality, the sand is made up of tiny fragments of this fish’s excrement. Before you get alarmed, relax! There’s nothing to worry about.

Parrotfish feed on algae and polyps that live on coral, but because of their beak-like mouths, they also bite off pieces of coral. Since they cannot digest it, they expel it in the form of granules, which over time become the sand we enjoy so much.

If parrotfish did not do this work, corals would not be able to survive, as they need them to keep themselves free of parasites and other organisms that grow on their surface.

So, the next time you are in the Riviera Maya, remember that all this is possible in part thanks to parrotfish, and that is why we must protect and preserve them.